Quetta born Sana Batool has been admitted to Harvard Medical School under the prestigious Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans.Batool who belongs to the Hazara minority ethnic group moved to the United States in 2013 to escape Pakistan’s persecution of the religio-ethnic group. The Hazara are a target of deadly attacks from extremist groups who enjoy protection of the Pakistani authorities.
Batool earned a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry while commuting four hours every day and sewing clothes to support her family’s income. While attending college, she conducted cancer research which was published in five peer-reviewed publications.
She plans to become a Medical Doctor at Harvard Medical School and hopes to make lasting contributions to the Hazara community and to work with vulnerable refugees and asylees as a health professional on a global level.